Desserts
Blackberry Pie
Description
A flaky, buttery crust and thick, jammy blackberry filling makes this old-fashioned blackberry pie recipe an instant summer favorite!
Ingredients
- 1 double crust Darn Good Whole Wheat Pie Crust or your favorite pie crust
- 6 cups fresh or frozen blackberries about 1 1/2 pounds; if frozen, do not thaw
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cassis liqueur or Chambord raspberry liqueur optional
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice, orange juice, or lime juice
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons quick-cooking tapioca or cornstarch* plus an additional teaspoon if your berries are super juicy
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon freshly grated nutmeg, or cardamom for something different
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter cut into small pieces
- 1 large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water for an egg wash
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar or similar coarse sugar
- Vanilla ice cream optional for serving
Directions
- Prepare the pie crust, divide into two (make one half slightly larger than the other), and chill for 1 hour as directed (or up to 2 days). When ready to bake, place a rack in the center of your oven preheat to 425°F.
- On a moderately floured work surface (I like to use a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper in case I need to pop the dough back into the fridge), roll out the larger portion of dough into a 13-inch circle (if it’s too stiff from being in the fridge, let it rest at room temperature for 2 or so minutes, until you can roll it; it warms up fast). Always roll from the center of the dough outward, rotating the dough on the counter every now and then as you go (this will give you a better, more even circle and also help you gauge when to add more flour to the board if the dough is sticking). Flour the board and your rolling pin as little as is manageable and work fast so the dough stays cold.
- Fold the circle over the rolling pin, then use the rolling pin to help you unfurl it gently into a deep 9-inch pie plate. Ease the dough down into the plate without stretching it. If it any point the dough tears, don’t stress. Just pinch it back together and patch as needed. If the dough becomes too warm and hard to work with, stick it in the fridge for a few minutes (this is why the wax/parchment is handy). Place the dough-lined pie plate into the freezer while you carry on.
- Roll out the second portion of dough on a sheet of wax or parchment paper as you did the first. if you’d like to make a lattice, cut it into 1-inch strips. Use the sheet to lift it and place it in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
- In a large bowl, place the blackberries, sugar, cassis (if using), and lemon juice.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, tapioca or cornstarch, salt, and cinnamon. Add it to the blackberry mixture, then with a big spoon, stir until the berries are evenly coated.
- Remove the bottom crust from the freezer. Gently add the filling, as well as any juices or dry bits of flour and sugar that have collected in the bowl.
- Scatter the butter over the top of the blackberry filling.
- Remove the top crust from the refrigerator. Drape the top crust over the filling (or cut into 1-inch strips and arrange as a lattice). Trim the pie crust to ½-inch overhang all the way around. Tuck the top crust under the bottom crust and flute the edges with your fingers (or keep it easy and just press down around the edges of the crust with the tines of a fork). If not using a lattice, with a sharp knife, cut several vents in the top.
- Use a pastry brush to dust off any excess flour from the crust, then brush the crust all over with the egg wash.
- Place the pie on a parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Bake on the center rack at 425°F for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F and continue baking until the crust is deep golden and you see bits of filling bubbling out of the vents, about 40 to 50 minutes more (if your berries were frozen, you may need to extend the baking time by 10 minutes or more). If at any point the crust edges start to get too dark, tent them with foil or a pie crust shield. Rotate the pie as needed so the crust browns evenly.
- Let the pie cool completely at room temperature (4 hours or more; if you slice it too early, the pie won’t set up properly). Slice and enjoy with ice cream as desired.
